Despite having a background in analytics, Dylan Han realized that instead of working in a large company, he’d rather work for himself. So he and his wife, Nicole Jin, opened L’Ours Bakery Cafe in University Village, where they’re serving pastries, coffees, milk teas and breakfast sandwiches.

The bakery and cafe is next door to a Starbucks, but Han said the community craves a place that is comprehensive and personalized, whether it’s the food, the drinks or the environment. L’Ours Bakery Cafe opened only a few weeks ago and is already frequented by students, hospital workers and police officers, Han said.

“We just want the people in the community to enjoy the pastries we enjoy, and we also wanted to bring great coffee and great tea,” Han said.

L’Ours, which means “the bear” in French, is using beans from Bridgeport Coffee for its lattes, and Taiwanese teas for its milk and fruit teas. The teas, like the rich and nutty roasted oolong, are brewed each morning and refreshed every four hours, Han said. And don’t be surprised if you see a design on your drink — L’Ours is using a coffee art printer for sweet messages, quotes or even the bakery’s logo.

“When you go to a Chinese restaurant, you get a fortune cookie. We wanted to do something like a fortune latte and give people a small surprise when they see the drink,” Han said.

If you’re in the mood for something more refreshing, try the tangerine mint lime tea, with fresh lime juice, tangerine syrup and jasmine green tea.

“It’s like wow, it’s a taste of summer,” Han said.

To pair with the drinks, try a slice of the matcha fresh cream cake — which you also can order in its entirety as long as you call two days ahead — or the chocolate ganache cake. For something savory, try the curry croquettes.

“It’s not just a bakery cafe. We offer an end-to-end experience for coffee drinkers, for tea drinkers and for people to socially connect with each other,” Han said. “We put a lot of thought into everything.”

LAKEVIEW — Coffee Lab & Roasters has opened its second location for your coffee, tea and pastry fixes. You also can get breakfast items, like ham, egg and cheese sandwiches, and bagels. 2823 N. Lincoln Ave., 773-687-9453, bcbccoffeelab.com

LAKEVIEW — Fancy Plants Cafe opened with vegan coffee drinks, such as oat milk cappuccinos, and pastries like chocolate babka and cinnamon rolls. Savory items include “bacon” cheese scones, wraps and soups. The cafe is from Kevin Schuder, owner of Fancy Plants Catering, who also has worked with Kitchen 17. 613 W. Briar Place, 415-794-8707, kevin.kitchen

When we eat out, more often than not the best part of the meal comes first: the appetizers. We often wonder: Why do the apps sound amazing at a restaurant but the entrees just … OK? Theory: Chefs know you’ll order a main dish, but they have to sell you on an app. We’ll explore that question in a takeout later this month, but for now, we’re focusing on eating every delicious kind of starter we can find, from cast-iron corn pudding at Twain, to uni, ramps and toasted bread at Leña Brava to the knock-out guacamole at Mi Tocaya. Come back every weekday to see what we're having.